Switch-stand.



H. E. BILLMAN & L. R. MANN. SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE29,1914. 1,120,365, Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. E. BILLMAN & L. R. MANN.

SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1914.

Patented Dsc. 8, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

THE NDRRIS PETERS CO, PHOT-L/THO, WASHINGTON, n. c

H. E. BILLMAN L L. R. MANN.

SWITCH STAND.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNB29.1914.

1,1 20,365. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

3 SHBETB-SBEET 3.

THE MORRIS PETERS CU PHOTO-LITHO.. WA /ING ION, D C

'UNTTED STATES PATENT FFTUE;

HENRY E. BILLMAN AND LEO R. lvLllTN',` OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. i

i" SWITCH-suivi).

Speecation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application led .Tune 29, 1914. Serial No. 847,803.

To all whom it may concern: i

Be itknown that we, HENRY E. BILLMAN and Lno R. MANN, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis,

`State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Stands, of which the following is a specilication. v

This invention relates to improvements in switch-stands and relates particularly to improvements in the switch-stand of our invention disclosed in our application for patu ent Iiled in the United States Patent Ollice if rangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, in whichlike numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a perspective view, looking from the track, of the switch-stand embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan u.

view looking down upon the switch-stand; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2 looking `from the track. z v A base 1 comprising in one piece the baseplate 2, apair of standards 3 (one standard preferably adjacent to each end of base 1 at the side thereof farthest from the track),

,a pillow-block intermediate said two standards (preferably on the `same side of base l @as standards 3), guides 5 intermediate the under-hung bearing 7 extending downwardly sides of base 1, bearing 6 preferably at the side adjacent to the track (notshown), and

i beneath base-plate 2 preferablyadjaeent to l bearing 6.

`Base-plate 2 is adapted to rest on ties 8 in the usual manner and is secured thereto by means of spikes or the like' (not shown) i through openings 9 in said base-plate and,

also, preferably at notches 10 in the outer edges of said base-plate, there being asmany such openings and notches `as maybe desired. Preferably one ormore openings 11 provided in base-plate 2 between ties Spermitwater to drain out of inclosures formed upon the said base-plate by the protruding edges l2of the web of the base l.`

A shaft 13 is supported in a bearing 141 in pillow-block 4, said shaft being retained in said bearing by cap 15,"\vhieh is fastened to said pillow-block by bolts 16 or other suitable means. One end of said shaft 13 has the throwing lever 17 secured thereto by any suitable means, the free end of said throwing lever preferably `bearing a weight 18 to facilitate the throwingof the switch-points (not shown). Thethrowing lever is arranged to move through substantially 180 degrees in a vertical plane and is positively limited in such movement by the pair of standards The standards 3 have their upper ends bifurcated so that, when the throwing lever 17 occupies substantially a horizontal position (best seen in Fig. l), said lever will rest upon a standard 3 and will extend between prongs 19 of the latter, one of said prongs being preferably longer than the other and having an opening 20 for the reception of a hasp or padlock Q1 or other suitable device for locking the throwing lever in its horizontal position. The other end of said shaft 13 bears one end of a crank 22, the other end of said crank bearing a crank-pin 23 with an anti-friction roller 2d revolubly mounted thereon, said antifriction roller being held on said pin by Cotterpin 25 or other suitable means. Crank 22 i preferably extends in the opposite direction from throwing lever 17 so that, when the latter `is moved through an arc of substantially 180 degrees above the horizontal plane through the axis of shaft 13, the former will be moved through an arc of substantially 180 degrees below said plane. Crank-pin 23 receives a member 26, said member having a vertical slot 27 through which crank-pin 23 extends.` The member 26 bears a pair of oppositely-extending arms 28 each of which is provided `with an elongated opening `29 running lengthwise the arm, each Opening having a pair of lugs 30 and 31, one,` 30, preferably located in the upper portion of said opening farthest from said member 26 and the other, 31, preferably located in the ylower portion nearest said member 26, each the drawings) said arms to operate a distant signal, crossover switch, derail, frog, etc. `(not shownin The arms 2S extend along base plate 2 and are slidably supported thereon by guides 5, which guides are preferably bifurcated for the purpose of receiving said arms as best shown in Fig. 1, and each bifurcated portion being preferably strengthened by buttress-like webs 33, and, moreover, each of said guides 5 being provided with openings 34 transverse the direction of said bifurcations and transverse the direction of the arms 28 in their extension along baseplate 1, which opening 34 is adapted to communicate with opening 29. A cotter-pin 35 or the like is preferably provided in an appropriate opening` 36 therefor in each guide 5 at or slightly above the level of the upper edge of arms 28, when said arms are slidably in place in said guides, to prevent said arms from lifting upwardly out of position in operation and to permit lugs 8O and 31 positively to perform' their functions hereinafter described. The lower portion of member 26 extends through an opening` (not shown) in the base-plate 2, said opening being provided to permit said member 26 with its lower portion extending through base-plate 2 to move forward and backward as arms 28 extending from said member 26 rslide forward and backward in guides along said base-plate, and a pin 37 borne by the lower portion of said member 26 Y (said pin having an anti-friction roller 38 revolubly mounted thereon and being provided with a cotter-pin 39 or the like for holding said anti-friction roller in place on said pin) extends through a cam slot 40 in the operating crank 41, which is rigidly mounted on vertical shaft 42 in underhung bearing 7 below base-plate 2, said crank being so mounted preferably between bosses 43provided as part of said bearing 7. Vertical shaft 42 is rotatably mounted inbearing 7 and extends upwardly therefrom through bearing 6, which is located immediately above bearing 7, and shaft- 42 vbears near its upper end the usual target vanes 44 and terminates with a lainp-plug45 `to allow a signal-lamp (not shown)v to be.

mountedv thereon in the usual manner.

The cam slot 40 is preferably vY-shaped, having two branches 46 disposed at substantially a right-angle to each other, and a third branch extending radially to the pin 37 and substantially bisecting the vertical angle of the branches 46, as shown in Fig. 2. Crank 41 is pivotally attached at 47 to one end of the connecting rod 48 by bolt 49 or other suitable means (Fig. l), the other end of said connecting rod 48 being connected to the switch-points (not shown) preferably to a tie-rod '(not shown) of said switchponit. f

Normally, the member 26 occupies a position with crank-pin 23 and anti-friction roller 24 inthe upper end of vertical slot 27 when pin 37 stands in the end of one of the branches 46 of cam slot 40 and thereby holds the operating crank 41 in such posi-v tion that said branch 46 coincides with the path of movement of pin 37, with the result ythat the switch-points (not shown) connect-V ed to rod 48 are held locked in their set position. When it is desired to throw the switch-points, the throwing lever 17 is` moved through an arc of substantially switch, and during the next V degrees of `the movement of the lever 17 the crank 22 moves the member farther in the same direction and thereby causes the pin 37 to enter the radial branch of cam slot 40 and to engage one side of same, whereby said pin rotates the operatingk crank 41 through substantially `.90 degrees, with the result that said operating crank effects the positive throwing of the switch-points (not shown) through the medium of the connecting rod 48. This rotary movement of the operating crank 41 causes the vertical shaft 42'to rotate through substantially 90 degrees and thereby effects the positive setting of the target vanes 44 and signal-lamp (not the lever 17, the crank 22 moves the member 26 farther and thereby causes the pin 37 to enter theother branch 46 of the cam slot 40 and to moveto the end of said branch, which branch will have been moved to a position in which it coincides with the path of movement of the pin 37. lThis movement of the lever 17 vcauses the pin 37 to lock the operating crank 41 in its new position and vthereby' prevents the switch-points (not shown), connected with operating crank 37 as hereinabove described, and the vertical shaft 42 `from being moved until the throw-f" ing lever 17 is' moved in the reverse direction through more than 45 degrees, as herey inabove described.

lt will be seen that, by reason of the connecting rod 48 being directly connected tothe operating crank 4l and said crank being rigidly mounted' on vertical shaft; 42, said vertical shaft 42, bearing target vanes 44 or signal-lamp (not shown) or both, moves synchronously with the switch-points (not i shown), borne by said vertical shaft. Durving the `last 45 degrees of the movement of lilo shown) and thereby causes the target vanes or signal lamp or both to indicate the exact position of said switch-points. It will be seen that this arrangement eliminates all lost motion and insures the positive throwing of the switch-points and the positive setting of i the signal.

As an auxiliary means for lockingthe `switch-points (not shown) in a set position, the' iollowing mechanism 1s provided. rflic lrod at an extension thereof to the track (not shown) "is connected preferably with the points ol the switch-tongue (not shown) in the paths of movement, respectively, o'll `corresponding lugs 30 and 31 of an `arm 2S as said arm moves orward and backward through guide as lever 17 is moved through an arc of 180 degrees 'trom the position shown in Fig. 1, to the position shown in Fig. or the reverse, and, wlienthe switchpoints are `in set position as hereinabove described, one of said notches 51,52 engages one of said lugs 30, 31 and through the extension of the rod 50 connected with the points of the switch-tongue (not shown) holds the point so set close up against the stop-rail (not shown) and locks same in that position thus providing a means `:tor lock`- ing the switch-points in a set position auxiliary to the means provided by the cope fr tion of a slot i6 withthe pin 37 andthe operating crank 4.1 throughthe connecting rod 118, as hereinabove described.

The present invention simplilies in many ways the construction ofthe switch-stand of our invention disclosed in our application, Serial No. 7 7 3,846, above-referred to, greatly reduces the number oit separate parts, provides various novel features, reduces the cost of construction by reducing the amount of machine work, lessons the labor and expense in assembling and erecting, eliminates a large number of bolts, nuts, and .fitting together ofparts, and provides adevice certain and positivein operation. For instance,

by forming the standards 3 integral `with base 1, not only are the number" ot' sepay rate parts reduced together `with their bolts and the like, but, also, the motion ot lever 17`may be positively limited to an arc of 180 degrees, because the base ot' said standards being` integral with the base ot' the switch-stand, the varying of the level ot' the ties to which said baseis secured will not` affect the standards to alter their adjustnient relativeto the limited motion ot' said that operating crank mounted thereon below the base-plate 2 oi lever, as may be the case when each standard is a separate part and is separately spiked or bolted to separate ties, and, also, a number otbolts and the like are eliminated and the labor and expense et assembling and litting together oi parts is eliminated. by coi'istructingthe iillow-block 4; integral with the base, not only is the construction siniplilied, the nuniberof separate `parts reduced, `and the expense of assembling those parts avoided, and the like, but, also, a substantial pillow-block with a single bearing` t'or shalt 13 is provided instead oil the two bearings provided in our invention disclosed in our application, Serial No. 773,816 abovementioned. i

The base-plate 2 of the switch-stand of the present invention is substantially a tlatsurface having air opening in its floor thus permitting the lower portion o'l member 2G to extend below said base-plate so that associated parts are located, connected, and operate below said base-plate, thus avoiding the more expensive U-shaped base disclosed `in our prior application, Serial No. "773,8et6.

The underliung bearing 7 is a novel feature not provided lor in the invention disclosed in our said prior application tor i patent and provides a simple and cheap means lor rcvolubly mounting shaft Ll2 so il may be rigidly base 1. Further, the novel features of construction and operation of an auxiliary locking device of the present invention operativethrough anopening in guide 5 (guides being integral with the base in the present invention) by nieans oi notches 51 and 52 on rod 50 cooperative in an opening .29 communicating with said openingl in guide 5, are not shown in our invention disclosed in our said prior application. These and other novel features o'l construction, arrangement ot parts, and o'l" operation described in this specification are substantial ad "antages provided by the present invention that switchstands ot other inventions `do not disclose.

Various changes in the details of construction and arrangement o'l parts may be made `without departing 'from the nature and spirit of this invention,

We claim:

1.'In` a sii'itch-stand, the conibination with a base having integral therewith a pair ol standards, a pillow-block, guiding means, and an underhung bearing, oit a reciprocating member slidablv mounted on said base in said guiding means, means upon said reciprocating nien'iber above said base .for actuating said recipi'ocating` member, said actuating means being mounted in said pillow-block and the motion oi. said actuating means being limited by said standards, a member pivoted in said underhung bearing and operated by saidreciprocating member Also,

below said base, a switch actuator, and

means connecting said pivoted member and the upper surface of said base, and an underhung bearing below said base, of a reciprocating member slidably mounted upon said base in said guiding means, means supl ported in said pillow-block for actuating said reciprocating member', the motion of said actuating member being limited by said standards, a shaft revolubly mounted in said two bearings, a member borne by said shaft below said base and operated below said base by said reciprocating member, a switch actuator, `and means for connecting said member borne by said shaft to said switch actuatora 3. ln a switch-stand, the combination with a base having an opening therein, said base having integral therewith a pair 0i standards, one standard at each end of said base onthe side thereof farthest from the switch, a pillow-block intermediate saidy standards and on the same side of said base as said standards, guiding means, a bearing on the upper surface of said base at the side thereof nearest the switch, and an under` hung bearing below said base depending immediately' beneath said vfirst-named bearing, said under-hung bearing having two opposite bosses, of a reciprocating member slidably mounted on said base over said opening therein and in said lguiding means, means supported in said pillow-block for actuating said reciprocating member, the motion of said actuating member being limited by said standards, a shaft revolubly mounted in said two bearings, a member borne by said shaft below said base between said two bosses in said underhung bearing, said member being operatively connected below said base with said reciprocating membeig a switch actuator, and means for connecting said member borne by said shaft to said switch actuator.

4. In combination with a pivoted member connected to the switch, a vertical member, horizontal arms on said vertical member, an elongated opening in each of said arms, a

lug in the upper portion of said opening, a`

lug in the lower portion of said opening,

rigid means to slidably support said arms, a transverse opening in said rigid means and.

communicating with the elongated opening of the arm supported by said rigid means, the lower end of the vertical member engaging the pivoted member to actuate and lock .the latt r, means connected to the upper end of the vertical. member to reciprocate same,

and a member connected at one end to theA switch, theother end having a notch in its upper surface and a notch in its lower surface, said notchedend being supported in a transverse opening in said rigid means and extending through the elongated opening in said arm, and the upper and lower notches being adapted, respectively, to engage the upper and lower lug of said elongated opening for auxiliarily locking the switch. n

5. In lcombination with a base and a pivoted member below said base connected to a switch, a vertical member having its lower extremity engaged Awith the pivoted ,member below said base, means to mount said vertical member to enable same to slide in a straightline, rigid guiding means on said base to engage the lower portion of said vertical member above said pivoted member, and means to reciprocate said vertical member. y

6. In combination with a base and a pivoted member below said base connected to a switch, a vertical member having its lower `portion engaged with the pivoted member below said base, horizontal arms on said vertical member, an elongated opening in each arm, a lug in the upper portion of said opening, a lug `in the lower portion of said opening, rigid means yto slidably support said arms on said base, a transverse opening y in said rigid means, said opening communieating with the elongated opening of the arm supported by said rigid means, means connected with the upper portion of the vertical member to reciprocate same, and an ,auxiliaryv locking device, said device consisting of a member connected to the switchpoint and having'a notch in the upper surface of its free end and anotch' in the lower surface of said end, said end being'adapted `to be supported in said transverse opening an actuator for the switch, of a base,'an

L-shaped vbearing depending therefrom, a member pivoted to and between said `bearing and the bottom ot said base and having a.

connection with y.the switchv actuator, andI means operatively supported by said base for actuating saidpivoted member.

8. In a switch-stand, the combination with an actuator for -theswitcln of a base having a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof, an underhung bearing depending therefrom, a member pivoted to and between said bearing and the bottom of said base and having a connection with the switch actuator, avertical member reciprocatively 4supported. on said base and having its lower portion extending through the slot in said base and its lower extremity engaging said pivoted member to actuate same, and` means for reciprocating said vertical member.

9. In a switch-stand, the combination with an actuator' for the switch, of a base having a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof, an underhung bearing depending therefrom, a member pivoted to and between said bearing and the bottom of said base and having a connection with the switch actuator, a vertical member having its lower portion eX- tending through the slot in said base and its lower extremity engaging said pivoted member to actuate same, a pair of horizontal arms borne by said vertical member and projecting from opposite sides thereof, guides `borne by said base at or adjacent to the ends of the slot therein adapted to slidably support said arms, and means for reciprocating said vertical member.

10. In a switch-stand, the combination with an actuator' for the switch, of a base having a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof, an underhung bearing depending therefrom, a member pivoted to and between said bearing and the bottom of said base and having a connection with the switch actuatorya vertical member having its lower portion extending through the slot in said base and its lower extremity engaging said pivoted member to actuate same, a pair of horizontal arms borne by said vertical member and projecting from opposite sides thereof, guides j borne by said base at or adjacent to the ends of the slot therein adapted to slidably support said arms, means for reciprocating said vertical member, and means for retaining said arms in said guides.

11. In a switch-stand, the combination with an actuator for the switch, of a base having a longitudinal slot in the bottomthereof, a

' pivoted member located below said base and supported thereby and having a connection wlth the switch actuator, means reciprocatively supported on said base extending through the slot in the latter and engaging a said pivoted member to actuate same, and a means for actuating said reciprocating means.

l2. In a switch-stand, the combination with an actuator for the switch, of a base having a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof, a pivoted member located below said base and supported thereby and having a connection with the switch actuator, a vertical member having its lower portion extending through the slot in said base and its lower extremity engaging `said pivoted member to actuate same, a pair of horizontal arms borne by said vertical member and projecting from `opposite sides thereof, each arm containing an elongated opening and bearing a pair of lugs disposed diagonally opposite each other within the opening, a pair of guides borne by said base at or adjacent to the ends of the slot therein adapted to slidably support said arms, means for reciprocating said vertical member, there being transverse guide openings in said guides which communicate with the openings in said arms, and an element HENRY E, BILLMAN. LEO It.` MANN.

Witnesse:

WALTER C. Gmane, j NANCY C. THOMAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D; 0. 

